Ⅰ Introduction

For smartphone users, TWS earbuds are nearly a must-have accessory. Its working idea is that the phone connects to the main earphone, which then wirelessly connects to the secondary earphone, achieving genuine wireless separation of the left and right channels of Bluetooth. According to the Counterpoint Research estimate, global TWS earbuds shipments would exceed 520 million in 2020, up 108.8% from the previous year. Global TWS earbud shipments are expected to reach 1.34 billion pairs by 2025. The market for TWS earbuds will continue to grow rapidly as Bluetooth technology improves.

Apple AirPods are the clear market leader in the TWS earbuds market, with more than 40% of the market share. AirPods shipments are expected to be around 3.5/5.5 million units in 2018/2019. In 2021, AirPods are estimated to ship 150 million units. In the first quarter of 2019, Xiaomi also released the TWS earphones. TWS earbuds have been released by Samsung, JBL, Beats, Bose, and other traditional headset makers.

Ⅱ What are the features of TWS?

(1) True wireless: get rid of the trouble of earphone wire entanglement

There is no need for a cable connection with the TWS Bluetooth earbuds. Through Bluetooth, the left and right earbuds form a sound system. You may get a flawless sound experience by combining professional acoustic pickup technology, intelligent noise reduction technology, and AI algorithm noise reduction technology: ear-worn voice, video calls, music enjoyment, mountain climbing, safe driving, and so on.

(2) Binaural stereo: enhance sound quality and improve call quality

From the product point of view, the audio and video experience is the focus of most attention by users on TWS earbuds, so the noise reduction function is an indispensable technology for TWS.

apple TWS earbuds

(3) Multiple perceptions: Enhance user experience and create intelligent voice

TWS earbuds have traveled the path of semi-smart earbuds in this era of rapid growth. Many Bluetooth chips with serial flash memory have been upgraded to version 5.0. Upgrades to client software may be more flexible, and third-party software migration may be supported. According to the original ecology or content provision, their ports have been opened, and there is a lot to do with the content.

(4) Small size: comfortable to wear, easy to use, and easy to carry.

Ⅲ Why are TWS earbuds so popular?

Apple has always been the market leader in the fast-growing TWS earbuds market. It is fair to say that Apple has played a significant role in TWS earbuds fast gaining consumer recognition. Apple released the iPhone 7 in September 2016, along with the industry's first wireless headset AirPods, as part of its autumn new product launch. AirPods became the most popular wireless headphone in the United States in just one month. AirPods now account for 26% of the market, overtaking Beats and Bose earphones, according to statistics from market research firm Slice Intelligence.

The following four factors have played an important role in the rise of TWS earbuds.

The emergence of Bluetooth 5.0

The introduction of Bluetooth 5.0, particularly the introduction of a new generation of Bluetooth audio technology known as LE Audio, established the groundwork for the next phase of audio industry development. The most common application of Bluetooth technology has always been audio transmission. The annual shipping of equipment in this industry will exceed 1.5 billion by 2024, and it will continue to increase in the future. According to the Bluetooth Technology Alliance, 97 percent of speakers will employ Bluetooth technology by 2024, implying that the market for speakers would be saturated with Bluetooth technology. The share of genuine wireless earbuds is predicted to reach 38 percent in 2024, thanks to the high growth of yearly wireless earbuds shipments. This amount excludes the low-power audio LE Audio component, which will open up a significant commercial market.

The cancellation of the 3.5mm jack headphone jack

The cancellation of the 3.5mm jack headphone interface has boosted the development of the Bluetooth earbuds market.

TWS earbuds

The rise of AI and wearable devices

TWS technology has accelerated its growth thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and wearable gadgets. The introduction of the TWS headgear coincided with the rapid advancement of AI technology. According to a Qualcomm survey published in August 2018, there are three major reasons individuals buy wireless earbuds with AI voice assistance: collecting fitness and health data and getting GPS instructions. We may be able to communicate with the outside world only through the voice user interface of "hearables" in the future. The industry's more upbeat prognosis is that the combination of a TWS headset and a smart speaker will create a new entry point for smart engagement. TWS earphones are predicted to enter the smart home ecological chain in the future Internet of Things world, with multi-scenario applications.

High performance of TWS

TWS has gained the hearts of users due to its outstanding performance. TWS provides unrivaled high performance. It can be worn in one ear only, removing the restraints of typical earphone cables totally. Through Bluetooth, the left and right earbuds form a stereo system, substantially improving the user experience of listening to music, calling, and wearing.

Ⅳ What are the disadvantages of TWS earbuds?

Battery life issues

According to statistics, the battery capacity of a single ear is between 25-60mAh. After single & dual earplugs are fully charged, the longest single-use time is no more than 3 hours.

Noise reduction problems in complex environments

In the era of smartphones, noise reduction technology achieves the effect of noise reduction through network optimization + hardware support + software assistance. But not every TWS manufacturer has researched the field of acoustics.

TWS earbuds internal components

The bottleneck of wireless transmission distance

The TWS earbuds themselves are a wireless call based on Bluetooth technology. According to the Bluetooth 4.2 protocol, its theoretical call range can reach 100 meters, and the new Bluetooth 5.0 theoretically can reach 300 meters. However, in the actual use process, the complex environment, the circuit itself, radio frequency interference and many other issues limit its use distance.

The problem of sound quality

In the Amazon official, many bad reviews feedback that the sound quality is too poor. In addition to good chips and solutions, good sound holding sound effects also require good materials in the hardware. On the other hand, it needs to be tuned in hardware + software. The cavity structure design of the earphone will directly affect the sound quality and sound experience.

Ⅴ Industry development prospects of TWS earbuds

Based on market development and industry pre-judgment, combined with the user experience of the product market and the capture of TWS-related issues, we make an industry outlook for TWS products:

1.TWS earbuds will move towards intelligence

TWS earbuds can be perfectly coupled with AI and utilized in connection with AI items thanks to AI technology. They can, on the other hand, slow down and focus on creating a truly smart product. All of these things are possible with TWS earbuds: full voice control, gesture control, and so forth. The sensor technology on the ring and watch can actually be extended to the TWS earbuds, in addition to the commonly utilized smart hands. The artificial intelligence of TWS products will become one of the focal points in the next stage of market competitiveness.

2.Hardware manufacturer chips will integrate more TWS functions

Qualcomm TWS Plus technology, for example, supports Qualcomm's latest QCC 5100 series Bluetooth processors. When a headset that supports this technology is used with another device, it will only connect in TWS mode. It is unable to benefit from a shorter audio delay and a longer battery life. Furthermore, this technology may use a cell phone as a broadcast center without the need for any ongoing equipment. And it can simultaneously transmit audio signals to several Bluetooth devices. Mobile phones that enable Bluetooth 5.0 technology have steadily become commonplace in recent years. With the continuous investment of hardware manufacturers and product upgrades, more technical applications will give wings to TWS earbuds.

3.Extensibility of TWS products

At present, the TWS industry is mainly represented by TWS earbuds. In fact, TWS is not only applied to headset products but can also be extended to all audio fields (TWS speakers, TWS smart wearable products, etc.).

4.High-bit rate transmission will still be the focus of the next step

Bilateral talks with TWS true wireless Bluetooth earbuds are also possible because of Bluetooth 5.0's high transmission capacity. The initial innovation in Bluetooth audio products was a high-bit-rate audio playback. However, there is still a lot of room for improvement in this area, particularly in terms of application technology. The DSP effect has been realized by a number of domestic producers, mostly in the speaker. There are currently just a handful of TWS headphones that can produce DSP effects. The original manufacturer and supplier may be the next technical issue to be resolved in terms of sound quality and sound effects at this time.